New Initiative to improve drug-resistant TB in developing countries

The Stop TB Partnership, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other partners have announced the launch of two new initiatives to improve diagnosis and treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), in developing countries. It is estimated that currently only 2% of  MDR-TB cases are being appropriately diagnosed and treated worldwide. With the introduction of these new initiatives it is hoped that this will increase to 15% in the next four years. 

The standard test for MDR-TB currently in use can take at least two months to get a result, by which time the patient may have died or passed on the disease to many others. A new rapid test, previously only used in research laboratories  can provide results in two days, meaning more patients can commence treatment quickly, increasing the chances of eventual cure and reducing the risk of further spread.  

The first initiative will supply the new test and train and support staff to use it in 16 developing countries where MDR TB is a significant problem. This will be complimented by a second initiative to increase the supply of drugs to treat MDR TB in 54 countries, and hopefully reduce the cost by up to 20%.

 

 

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